The invention relates generally to a method and system for providing access to a global communications network, and more specifically, to a method and system for managing tiered access to a global communications network, such as the Internet.
A conventional model for providing access to the Internet consists of Internet Access Providers (IAP) or Internet Service Providers (ISP) providing subscription based access to subscribers/users. It should be noted that while there is a distinction between an ISP and IAP, the distinction between the two is not germane for the invention and therefore are herein considered to be interchangeable with regard to the invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, users access an ISP's network via an access device 100. The access device may be any device compatible with the ISP's network communications protocol, for example, a cable modem, a DSL modem, a mobile telephone, a wireless network card, and the like. Once the user has logged on to their respective ISP, (i.e., a connection is establish between an access device 100 and an ISP network 101) and their identity has been verified, the user is provided access to the Internet through a web of interconnected ISP networks 103 using a process referred to as peering.
Generally, once a user has subscribed with a particular ISP, the user is provided unlimited access to the Internet. In other words, each subscriber receives the same access to the Internet based on the particular subscription/rate the user pays. It should be noted that some limitations may be placed on the access via user preference, such as parental controls and the like.
According to this conventional model, individual subscribers pay for the cost of providing access to the Internet and ultimately to the content contained on the Internet, referred to as the world wide web. However, this access model does not allow e-businesses to sponsor the cost of Internet access in order to generate increased traffic to their web portals. As a result other access models have been developed or suggested which allow for advertising revenue to sponsor user access to the Internet.
Generally, these advertising based models provide a user with free or subsidized Internet access in exchange for individual user marketing information and display space on their respective access devices. Typically, a user signs up with an ISP who offers free access in return for the use providing the ISP with consumer marketing information. This marketing information is then collected and processed to provide targeted advertising to the user in the form of pop-up windows for reserved display space while the user is accessing the Internet. However, under these advertising based models, like the previously discussed models, each user is provided the same unlimited or bandwidth limited access to the Internet. Therefore, once a user has provided their initial marketing information there is little or no incentive for the user to upgrade their access or purchase value-added services.
Accordingly, the conventional access models discussed above do not provide tiered access which allows both sponsor supported and subscription based access.